James Bond, Indie Rock, Gun Control and Newtown

I’ve done time in prison for being sensitive, so forgive me when I tell you that my much-anticipated viewing of “Skyfall” with my brother was excellent but fell short thanks to something I did not suspect: the carryover of emotion from the world of fact to cinematic fiction. Loved the characters and look of the movie, stomached the plot and felt oddly uncomfortable every time magazines of ammunition were unloaded in rapid-fire fashion. In other words, Newtown and Sandy Hook are hanging around in my mind, which brought to mind my former “career” (ha!) as a touring (true) musician (haha!).

One of my favorite songs my band wrote was in 2005 and was called “Sire Extinguisher,” which dealt with a then “in” topic on semi-automatic weaponry and the wars in which the country was then (and still is) involved. It came to mind today while watching fall-out from Wayne LaPierre of the NRA on “Meet The Press.” Presented without much else are the lyrics.

“Let this anchor cast our hearts onto the shoreas our mouths cry out for new regime,‘Fall on your rifles.’Where’s the poisoned apple,as you wave your guns for show?

Fitting how we’re given all the tools we needand still we have to lean on an old wall

Let this ad in Guns and Ammoshow a baby and an anvil.I doubt she is malleablebut she hears us when we roar

Speak up for moms and dadswho will never see their sons.Tyranny’s a broken home.Dress for action like a man.Terror needs a broken home.

So you’ve got a lot to say?Well, i’ve got some time to listen…

Not a good answer.Seldom do we fight for what’s right.

So you’ve got a lot to say?Well, I’ve got a lot to tell you…

Tear your guns from your arms and your lawLet the dead recall when it stalled cold

Liberty, tear up the night, girlHead for the hillsFall on your rifles

If for some reason you’d like to listen to loud, loud, heavy music, here’s the song. It’s unhappy but makes me the opposite:

I like you Nick—even though as I mentioned before you are the bizzaro version of me. My favorite line from the NRA this weekend was. ‘The AR-15 isn’t good enough for a 3rd world Army, so its absurd to call it a military style weapon’.

I still have not heard a convincing argument from the anti-Constitutional types who want to ‘ban’ ‘assault’ weapons. I’m always looking for a dance partner in that debate but sadly, few answer the bell.

Much like the Tea Party was co-opted by folks who can make a buck off it, the NRA is really only there for the gun manufacturers, not its members. I come from a family of hunters. I believe that if you want a gun in your home, you should be allowed to have one if you can provide legit evidence that you’re not a nut (just like, as Tim points out, all car owners have to do).

The right to have a militia is more about protecting us from our government, which is all well and good. But if you think that semi-auto you (not “you,” per se) have is going to protect you from the government should they decide to turn on you with all their resources, you better also donate your resources to buying a tank, helicopter, anti-aircraft missiles, etc.

I’m all for the Constitution. I just think it’s really depressing what we’re allowing some people to do “on its behalf.”

Also, are you still in St. Louis? I’m going to be in the general region a lot this winter.